TLDR: WIPO Director General Daren Tang emphasized the crucial need to maintain human creativity at the core of intellectual property (IP) laws as artificial intelligence rapidly progresses. Speaking at a major conference, Tang highlighted that generative AI, while advanced, lacks true originality and should be treated as a beneficial tool. WIPO also announced plans to launch the AI Infrastructure Interchange (AIII) in December 2025 to address copyright challenges in the AI era.
In a significant address at the ‘Intellectual Property and Technology in the 21st Century’ conference, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Director General Mr. Daren Tang underscored the paramount importance of keeping human creativity at the heart of intellectual property (IP) laws as they adapt to the swift evolution of technology. The two-day conference, held on August 4 and 5, 2025, brought together over 100 participants from more than a dozen countries, representing academia, government agencies, industry, and the legal profession.
Mr. Tang articulated his perspective on generative AI, stating, ‘Generative AI has evolved quickly yet remains a skilful replicator, lacking the real spark of originality and inventiveness that characterises human innovation and creativity. We should therefore see Gen AI as a tool, and like any tool, ensure that it is used for good.’ He further stressed the intrinsic value of human ingenuity, asserting, ‘Ingenuity, invention and creativity is a fundamental part of who we are as a human species, and technology, as well as the IP system, must continue to protect, nurture and support this, never forgetting to put the human creator at its centre.’
The conference, co-hosted by the Centre for Technology, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence & the Law (TRAIL) and the EW Barker Centre for Law & Business at NUS Faculty of Law (NUS Law), in collaboration with law schools from Columbia, Oxford, and Tsinghua, marked a pioneering academic partnership among these leading global institutions. Support for the event was provided by key partners including Google, Bytedance, the Singapore Academy of Law, and the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS).
Discussions at the conference delved into the pressing IP challenges posed by rapid technological advancements. These challenges, it was noted, extend beyond traditional legal doctrines, impacting diverse sectors such as technology, entertainment, and fashion, thereby necessitating a re-evaluation of business innovation, competition strategies, and how creators, artists, and designers safeguard their work.
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Looking ahead, WIPO announced a significant initiative: the launch of the AI Infrastructure Interchange (AIII), also known as ‘A-triple-I,’ in December 2025. This dedicated platform will serve as a neutral forum for creators, rights-holders, developers, and experts to exchange ideas, explore practical solutions, and address technical and operational questions concerning copyright infrastructure in the age of AI. Additionally, legal scholar Prof. Balganesh highlighted the critical need to resolve the complexities of artificial causation in law, emphasizing its relevance not only for the regulation of generative AI but also for numerous other legal domains that remain human-focused.
